


A step backwards

by Hannaebeth



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940s, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Chubby Reader, F/M, Forced Marriage, Forced Orgasm, Forced Pregnancy, Forced Relationship, Kidnapping, Kind of Truman Show-y?, Manipulation, Mind Manipulation, Modern Bucky Barnes, Modern Era, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, Protective Bucky Barnes, Unplanned Pregnancy, thick thighs save lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:42:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23266402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hannaebeth/pseuds/Hannaebeth
Summary: Holly is a young woman attending a convention for everything early to mid 20th century. When Bucky Barnes sees her, they have an instant connection and bond over their mutual interest in things 1940s. However, he has other plans for her once the convention is over. Kidnapped and stuck in a time-warped village made by SHIELD to keep Bucky under control, is this the life she always dreamed of, or the sick fantasy of someone stuck in the past?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 79





	1. At First Glance

The alarm on my phone rang, signaling me to finish my hair and tidy myself. Standing from my chair I took the lint brush and gave my body a once over in the mirror, cleaning myself up before I made my way down to the convention floor. My dark green dress hung to just below my knees, my single petticoat gave it a light lift to the skirt portion. As a chunkier woman, I sewed the dress to hit my small waist and flow naturally over my thick thighs and hips, hiding my true size. The long flowing sleeves gathered at the shoulder in a 1940s fashion, embracing the colours and styles of the time, while using tricks from 1950s fashion to make my figure more appealing. Sewing the dress had taken a long time, but making the dress was a goal of mine for the convention. I admired my handiwork, most patterns in my hip size would make the chest much too large for me, however, I felt that this dress had done my grandmother proud.

My light red hair had spent all night in sponge curlers, and I prayed a silent prayer that the curls would last through the day. I spritzed my face one last time with setting spray, before grabbing my handbag and walking through the hotel door. The short black heels on my feet wobbled slightly on the carpet in the hotel hallway, before I found my balance and strode more confidently towards the elevator. People from other rooms had also begun making their way down, men and women dressed in everything imaginable from the 1910s – 1960s. A man in a zoot suit was standing in the corner of the elevator as I entered it, a small group had already formed outside the door shortly before my arrival. The group was dressed in their flapper best, presumably going to the Gatsby room of the convention. I checked my handbag one last time, making sure I had my pass, phone, leather coin purse, and other small essentials to get me through the day.

Upon exiting the elevator, and entering the lobby, there was loud chatter and an excited buzz from the patrons. Not wanting to miss a single event, I smiled and made my way through the various small groups, crossing the hardwood floor. The weather was pleasant for my first time in the United States. It was fall and the breeze was warm and gentle. Various fallen leaves scattered across the sidewalk from the park across the street, next to the convention center. I walked to the nearest crosswalk, a genuine bit of girlish excitement plastered on my face.

I went over the attractions that I wanted to visit in my mind, hoping not to forget anything in the excitement of the hustle and bustle. There was an exhibit with clothing from each of the five decades, brought over from the National Fashion Museum. Speakers that lived through those times were invited to come and share their experience, with a surprise guest just after lunch, and a dance in the evening. This weekend was time for me to enjoy the things that I love, without worry of judgment from others, and the sense of freedom was joyous as I entered through the windowed steel doors that every center seemed to have.

The two men sat in silence, enjoying their street vendor coffee and watching from the bench. Hundreds of people were dressed up in period costumes, most being modern renditions of the fashion during that time. The park gave them a good view of the front of the center, watching the excitement of the convention goers. Steve was set to speak later on that day, but he didn’t want to go in just yet. The swarms of people asking for pictures and autographs would come soon enough, and he wanted to have some peace beforehand.

Bucky was happy enough to sit with his friend. While Steve had on somewhat of a disguise, shaggy hair, a short beard, and sunglasses, Bucky had no reason to. Almost all pictures of the Winter Soldier showed him with long hair and a mask, so this weekend, he was able to enjoy himself. SHIELD and Steve had worked together to make him a free man, and Steve convinced him to attend as a celebration of sorts for his newfound freedom. HYDRA would always be out there, but with the help of the Avengers, Bucky could come out of hiding.

He watched as a group came out of the hotel across the street, wearing their flapper dreams. Most of it was Halloween costume style renditions of gangsters and flapper girls, all huddle together. Trailing behind, but not part of, was an average woman, wearing clothing reminiscent of the late 1940s. He watched her, the sway of her dress, as she carefully crossed the street, holding onto one side of her dress in case of a strong gust. He couldn’t make out her face, but he watched her bob in and out of the crowds, before losing her figure at the doors to the center.

The dark grey room had dim lighting throughout, with spotlights on the garments. Large glass display cases protected each one. I found myself looking at a uniform from the Second World War, from an unknown soldier. The placard didn’t say much, and instead used it as a general representation of American soldiers during that time. Whenever I visit exhibits like these, I always find myself wondering what the person was like. I lingered in that section, looking at the detail in the dresses, and seeing stitches where uniforms were repaired. Many people had stood beside and around me to also look at the pieces.

“K-hmm” someone coughed and startled me. I stood quickly, clutching my chest in sudden fright.

“I’m sorry ma’am, didn’t mean to startle you.” A gentleman in a replica soldiers uniform stood before me, with a sincere look of apology written on his face. Taking a deep breath and offering a small smile, I gave a laugh of nervousness.

“It’s alright, I forget about the world sometimes when I’m looking at pieces like this,” I gestured towards the lace hem of the dress in question. His clean-shaven face and fresh haircut made him look like a man plucked straight from the war.

“My name is Bucky ma’am,” I interrupted him, “Please, ma’am makes me feel so old. My name is Holly.” He flashed a crooked grin and repeated, “Holly,” letting it linger on his tongue in contemplation.

“A pretty name for a very pretty lady.” I blushed at his statement. Men were generally not so forward to me, and never so polite. He was refreshing, like a cool glass of water when you’ve only had warm. “Let me accompany you through the rest of the exhibit, I know a bit about the time period, maybe I could answer some questions.” I happily obliged him, walking through until the end of the war. Bucky explained the function of certain pieces with a knowledge that fascinated. I listened to him speak, god how I could listen to him for hours. He carried himself with a strong, deserved confidence; nothing about it seemed egotistical, much like the ‘confidence’ of many men these days.

At one point, he even took my hand to excitedly show me a display of a typical 1940s kitchen.

“Thank God I live in 2020. I mean, I absolutely love the look and hominess of this kitchen, but I grew up with automatic washers. Look at the washboard! I would imagine that washing anything would be painful work compared to washers and dryers nowadays.” I incredulously looked at all the gadgets of the day. “I love how we can take the technology we have now, and make it look vintage.”

“Yes,” he chuckled, “Electric cooktops are so much safer than gas ranges.” I felt the tips of my ears blush, as he stared at me instead of looking at the display. I could live in the moment forever, I was being treated like any other attractive young woman, and these moments were few and far between.

My heels clicked against the floor as we slowly walked towards the end of the exhibit. I lingered, wanting to continue my time with him. He kept a close distance to me, walking a step behind and to the side, in a courteous manner.

“Well Doll,” a cheeky grin on his face, “It looks like this is the end of it.”

“Yes,” I replied a little bit sullen.

“But…,” he ducked down to meet my eyes, “I know a place around corner that I think you might like. That is if you would like to join me for lunch?” His offer caught me off guard, in that I had never really been asked out to a proper date before.

I bit my lip out of nervousness, “I would love to, we could meet up at about noon?”

“It’s a date then. I can meet you at the doors if you like, we can walk over together?” Walking through the doors, the bright light hit both of us, and I was able to examine him more closely. His jaw was chiseled in a way that would make most women swoon, and his eyes were much bluer than what I could see before.

“Of course, that would be lovely, thank you.” He offered his hand in what I assumed would be a handshake. I gave him mine, before he quickly and gently brought it to his hand and gave it a sweet kiss. I hoped that my face wasn’t as red as my hair, and swallowed to quiet the butterflies in my stomach.

With his signature crooked smile and intense gaze, I turned and made my way through the crowd. I looked back about 12 feet away, and he was gone.


	2. A lovely affair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ends with a super explicit smut section. If you want to avoid it, I will put some stars right before it so you can skip over it. Thank you for the bookmarks and kudos!

I was giddy like a school-girl with a crush. There is something magical about getting to know someone for the first time, experiencing the light flirting and the joy that it brings. I opted to skip dinner and instead drink some juice and have a veggie stick & hummus combo from the hotel store. I had planned on taking some time to go from my daywear to my evening formal wear but having a date for the event gave me the incentive to spend extra time on my appearance. A small nibble of food was all I could manage as I refreshed my curls before putting them into a half up-do.

My evening dress was tight to my upper body, and I chose to wear an underbust corset underneath, one of the other reasons why I decided to skip a large dinner. My blush was set, matching my red lip. I tried to use as many vintage techniques as I could to be an accurate representation of the time. I picked up my trusty zipper helper, an old curtain rod with a bent paper clip attached that would help me pull up my back zipper. My mother taught me that trick. The chiffon hugged my waist in a tight and supportive way. I picked a sweetheart neckline with a halter strap to accentuate my bosom, without showing too much. I enjoyed showing my collarbone and shoulders more so than my breasts. I smoothed the wrinkles out of the royal purple chiffon, setting my long petticoat under the floor-length a-line skirt portion. I switched out my daytime handbag for a sparkling clutch. My body began taking shaky breaths as time drew closer for me to leave with Bucky; we had set to meet at 8 pm in the lobby of the hotel.

I left my room for the second time that day with a buzz in my stomach and a swing in my step. For a moment, I was glad of the grand staircase from the second floor. I hopped off, hoping that I could stand out against many of the other women who chose to show their finest. My breath caught in my throat at the array of colours crossing the floor. As I shuffled forward, I prayed silently that I didn’t trip, although I opted for flats, since no one would be able to see under my dress.

I flashed my best smile to the crowd watching. Then, the noise seemed to dull down when I saw him. Blue eyes and slicked-back hair, he stood 10 feet away from the bottom step., staring at me with his mouth slightly open. His black tuxedo cut his figure in a way that his uniform never could, and exuded power. As I reached the last step he sprang forward and took my hand from its position on the railing.

He took a long look at my dress, starting from the bottom and going all the way up. He took an extra second on my hint of cleavage, making my blush bashfully.

“Holly, doll, you look amazing,” he kissed my hand before offering his arm to me.

“Thank you,” I snaked my hand into the crook of his elbow, letting him guide me through the crowd. I felt pride welling inside me, a gentleman as kind and genuine as him was escorting me to the formal dance, something I had never experienced before. At 24, I had started to give up on the thought of finding a good man, with good values, and that treated me with the respect of the 21rst century but like a lady of the 20th. 

* * *

God, she looked beautiful. The dress was modest enough that it only gave a hint of cleavage, but you could see she wasn’t lacking. From this angle beside her, I could see slightly more out of the corner of my eye, almost like a private invitation just for me. I could spend all day counting the smattering of freckles on her shoulders, and one day, I will.

* * *

We walked through the double doors to the ballroom of the hotel, big band music playing a gentle melody.

“May I have this dance?” I turned to face him and take his waiting hand.

“Of course, Bucky.” With one breath he swept me onto the dance floor. Long, beautiful steps, swinging in circles around the floor. It felt as though I were a fairy tale princess meeting her prince for the first time, but this was real, the people around were real. While I enjoyed the feeling of his hand on my waist, and how he led me, I couldn’t help feeling inadequate. There were so many beautiful women, many of whom had much better figures, or slimmer faces.

“Sweetheart,” Bucky stopped spinning me around and led me to the edge of the room. “You look like you could use a drink.” I smiled up at him softly, mustering up as much courage as I could. He cupped my cheek in his hand before placing a soft kiss on my forehead and leaving for the bar. I sat on the ledge of the open window, thankful for the cool breeze as the many bodies had made the room unbearably warm.

His charm and charisma were enough to make any girl blush. Wondering idly about him, I envisioned a future where this was the first night of many. I laughed at myself, I don’t even know his full name and here I was, thinking of possibilities with this man.

A bubbling glass of champagne appeared before me. Smiling, Bucky took a seat across from me at the ledge, our knees brushing against each other.

“Thank you.”

“Anytime doll.” I took a sip of champagne, loving the light and fruity taste. He took a sip of whiskey before looking out at the small side garden of the hotel.

“I always loved gardens. My mother had one beneath the front windows of our house growing up. She would always get me to help her with it, bleeding hearts and daffodils. She planted chives one year because I loved the purple flowers, and I would always pick some to put in our potato soup.” I took another swig, enjoying the childhood memory.

He looked at me with genuine interest while I told my story. “You can have as many as you want someday.” The way he said it with such certainty made me blush. He finished his whiskey, and I tried to gracefully finish my glass, placing it down on the table behind me. I stood again, hoping to rejoin the fun on the dance floor, Bucky following me.

Before I could take a step, he had his hand around my waist and a hand on my neck, bringing me close to his body. My hands landed on his chest, embracing his touch. My eyes fluttered closed slightly as I looked at his lips expectantly. Then, he leaned down to kiss me, at first sweetly, and then more passionately. My hands made their way up his satin lapel and to his face, deepening the kiss. He released me from his trance, lust in his eyes and a grin on his face. My cheeks glowed beet red and my lipstick was slightly smeared. I chuckled at him and opened my clutch, getting a tissue and gingerly wiping away the lipstick that had transferred to him.

“Bucky,” I said breathless, “I don’t even know your full name.” He gave a hearty laugh and replied.

“Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, ma’am, at your service,” before making an exaggerated bow.

“Sergeant? Wow, so you really are an army man.” With that, he gave me his arm, to which I put my hand as he led me to the dance floor once more. This time, the music was slow, intimate, and he held me close to him. I put my cheek to his chest, facing away from him hiding the obvious smile. I didn’t want to come off as being too excited, but Bucky made me feel things that I haven’t felt in a long time. As the song wound down, I started to feel drunk. Mentally, I cursed myself for not eating more earlier in the day.

I barely ate the sandwich during our lunch date, and then only ate a few mouthfuls of food before arriving to the dance. We couldn’t stop talking about our passions, hobbies, and hopes for the future. Now, it felt as though I were spending time with someone that I’ve known for years. He knew that I knit and sew, but that I wasn’t very good, and that I love to cook, but hate doing dishes by hand. He told me stories of living in Brooklyn, and his childhood friend Steve. To the other patrons of the café, we probably looked like new lovers, flirting and holding hands across the table. But here, this was different, we were comfortable with each other, my body molding to his, being 4 inches shorter than him created a safe haven for me in his arms. And now I felt like an idiot like I would ruin the night by being drunk off a single drink.

“Bucky, I hope you don’t think less of me in saying this...”

“Never,” he interrupted. Looking up into his eyes, I believed him entirely.

“I think that champagne may have been a little strong for me.” I cringed a bit, apologetically.

“That’s no problem, doll. Would you like me to escort you to your room?”

“Yes, please.” Grateful for his understanding, I thanked God that I was wearing flat shoes and that I would be out of this tight dress soon.

I tried very carefully to keep my composure walking out the doors and through the hallways to the elevator. I didn’t want the night to end, but at nearly midnight, it was time this Cinderella made her way back to her cottage.

No one else was in the elevator, and I pressed the button for the 8th floor. As soon as the doors closed, I was pushed up against the wall, with hands-on either side of my head. Bucky looked at me with half-closed eyes full of longing. Energy surged through me, making my bosom bounce with every breath I took, something Bucky noticed quickly as his pupils dilated. His lips pounced onto mine as he kissed me, passionately, heatedly, as though he were drowning and my lips were the only source of air. His hips held mine in place, and through the layers of my chiffon skirt, I could feel him hardening. A low moan escaped me, my skin tingling with excitement and my own groin growing wet with anticipation. He could sense this as he nibbled his way down from my kips to the sweet spot on my neck, grinding his hips into me. He reciprocated my moan with a grunt of need.

The ding of the elevator interrupted us and we disengaged in seconds. It was obvious from his ruffled hair and my plump lips what we had been up to. Bucky let me lead the way, keeping a close step behind me.

Before I entered my room, I turned around and leaned back against the door. His stare was intense and made me want more. It made me feel as though I was the only one he ever wanted, and the only thing that could satiate him.

“I have one rule if you enter this room.” He came closer to me and put one hand on the door.

“And what would that be, doll?” He purred into my ear.

“This isn’t a one night stand and you’ll still be here in the morning.”

“Deal.” He growled before opening the door to the room and holding me close to him as we tumbled in.

********************************

He tore off his jacket throwing it on the floor. I kicked off my shoes and quickly took the pins out of my hair, letting it fall, before putting them on the dresser. In that time, he had taken off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. I gasped as I looked at him in the mirror, he was standing right behind me, the picture of a manly body. The hair on his chest left a dark trail down, down, down…

He laughed huskily as he caught me staring at him. Lovingly, he pulled my hair to one side and kissed my neck, before reaching down and unzipping my dress. The small slip that I wore under my corset was the only thing keeping him from viewing my breasts in all their glory. I stepped out of the dress and petticoat. He growled, getting a closer look at my figure, just barely close enough to see everything. I turned to him, kissing him, and burying my hands in his hair. Pulling him closer, closer than any man has been in years. He tossed off his shirt, leading me to sit onto the bed.

He broke off the kiss, staring at me in amazement, the lights filtering in through the privacy screens was enough to make out the form of my breasts. He brought himself down to his knees and touched held of my of breasts in his hands. Feeling his touch through the satin slip was enough to make my nipples hard with want, and my folds slick. This man made fire go through my veins, and the heat was building between us. As he gently touched and kneaded me, I undid the strings in the back of my corset, before flinging it off of me and onto the floor.

“Oh god.”

He looked at my body as the only thing standing in the way was the slip and a matching pair of black panties. Bucky ran his hands down my sides, marveling at my small waist, and resting at my full hips. Taking his face in my hands, I pulled him up to mine, kissing him once more. With that he kicked off his pants, and laid me onto the bed, hovering over me. His member was grinding into my core, hard, and big. I reciprocated, moving my hips against his, earning a groan.

“Fuck, doll.”

“Bucky, I want you.” With those magic words, he tore the slip and panties off, revealing my body to him. My pale skin glowed in the city lights streaming through the curtains, and I laid bare, legs parted and breasts free. He kissed down my body, taking my nipple into his mouth, rolling it around his tongue as he fondled the other. After it was rock hard, he switched to the other, making me moan heavily. Then he stuck his fingers down in between my folds, coming back up and kissing my neck. He sucked on that spot while he rubbed my clit on circles. I was flooded with need and he could feel it. I bucked my hips slightly against his fingers as they slowly entered me, using his thumb to continue his attack on my clit.

After a few strokes inside me, I grabbed the waist of his underwear and pulled them down, to which he happily obliged. While I wasn’t a virgin, it had been a long time, and he was bigger than any other man I had been with. The thought was thrilling and terrifying. He stood and stroked his cock using my juices.

“Sweetheart, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” With that, he pushed the two of us higher up onto the bed, laying me down onto the pillows. He pulled my legs up and apart, settling down in between them. His solid cock grazed against my folds, spreading my juices over both of us, as he brought his chest down onto mine, feeling my breasts against him.

He positioned his face near my ear and the tip of his cock at my entrance, and in one quick thrust, he was inside me, moaning my name. He stretched me and prodded me, calling out my name as he felt me tighten around. My hands went to his back holding our bodies closer as he started moving inside me. His girth pushed up against my g-spot and his hips smashed against my clit. I couldn’t stop myself from grinding against him as the fire took over my whole body, wanting more and more of him. My legs spread further and he found himself in my deepest regions, Bucky groaning in my ear like an animal. I could feel myself building up and dug my nails in his back as he sucked on my neck, leaving love bites that would be there in the morning.

“Damn, Holly, this feels so good, I’m close.” His thrusts became frantic, hard and quick, looking for that release we both so desperately needed.

I moaned out his name as I could feel myself tightening around him, losing my voice as my body shook from my orgasm. That was enough to push him over the edge and he spilled himself inside me as I milked it out of him. He kept making short hard thrusts as we finished our orgasms, him painting the inside of my womb with his seed.

Slowly, we peeled away from each other, both slick with sweat. He kissed me gently as he laid on the other side of the bed. I sat up and headed towards the bathroom, sauntering away from him to take a quick shower and freshen up. The last thing I saw was Bucky in the hotel robe, standing on the balcony, lighting his cigarette.


	3. The morning after

Bucky let his robe hang slightly open, the cool evening breeze hitting him gently. As he smoked his cigarette, he kept his mind on their lunch date; a distraction so he didn’t take her in the shower. It was something they could explore together at a later time.   
The café was quaint, the inside looked like a cross between a dinner and a deli. However, Bucky and I decided to sit outside at the handful of tables that littered the wide sidewalk. The matching red chairs and round tables were stiff, small, and thin. Subconsciously, I shifted in my seat, hoping that my wide frame wasn’t accentuated by how my wide hips just fit in the seat. Bucky was ever the gentleman and took of his hat as soon as he sat down. I grazed the menu before ordering a vegetable and tomato pesto sandwich, with a diet coke. The waitress, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, rolled her eyes when I mentioned “diet” coke, but I was used to it and paid no mind. Bucky didn’t notice, he was intently reviewing the menu.  
“I’ll have the reuben, with a coke,” he smiled politely and gave the waitress our menus, before turning his head to me.  
“So, how about we ask each other some questions to get to know each other?” He cocked his eyebrow at me.  
“Sure, let’s rapid fire the basics?” It came out as more of a question than a statement. I looked at him for his approval.   
“Age?”  
“24. You?”  
“30. Family?”  
“Both of my parents are alive, living happily together in my hometown. I have a brother that is two years younger than me. No sisters.”  
“I am on my own, but my best friend is like a brother to me.” At that, I took his hand from across the table, admiring how he was able to open up so freely.  
“So, I know you work in the army, but what is it you do exactly?”  
“Oh, I used to be a field agent, but now I mostly do paperwork. Sometimes, I need to train new recruits, or oversee somethings, so there are times where I may be gone for a week or two. But that only happens every 3-4 months.”   
“I just finished by bachelor’s degree, but I haven’t been able to find a job in my field. So, I am working full-time at a fabric store. It makes it so much easier to make my own garments for events like this.”  
His ears pricked up, putting that information away; she knows how to sew and make her own clothing.  
“Favourite colour? Mine is red.” I asked him.  
“Black. Cats or dogs?”  
“Dogs, of course.”   
“Hobbies?”  
“Well, I sew, obviously. I also have houseplants, and like to garden in the summer, although I’m not very good.” I chuckled. “Knitting while watching tv. If I get very bored, I sometimes bake goodies. I’m abit of a homebody.” I laughed again, hoping that he didn’t see it as a bad thing. If he was an outdoorsman, he’d probably bolt by the end of the date. I was terrified of scaring him off by not being quite right.  
“Wow, not many women know how to do that these days.” He looked impressed. “I like to work out; part for my job, and part for myself. However, I mainly like to relax at home after work, read a few books.”   
Our meals came out, his plate with a large sandwich and a half plate of fries. My plate had my sandwich and nothing else. We both began to eat our meals in silence, content with the company, the food, and the calm atmosphere of the café in fall.   
I made sure to give my face a good scrub in the shower. My hair was wrapped in a makeshift topknot, under my shower cap. My makeup from the day finally released from my skin and stained the white washcloth. My body was clean, fresh, and slightly bruised from the recent love making. I could tell they would be there in the morning as I rubbed my body down with the fluffy hotel body towel. As I stepped out of the shower, I heard the balcony door shut. I quickly took my hair down and tried to calm it as best as I could. I threw the towels up to dry and quickly put on a silky nighty and underwear set that I had put in the bathroom earlier that day, in case anything happened.   
I opened the door, and could see Bucky laying down in bed, leaning up against the headboard. I tiptoed across the room and slowly crawled into the covers. Moving slowly, I came as close as I could, he looked like he was sleeping and I didn’t want to disturb him. My arm crossed his chest and I pulled myself up against his side with my head resting on his chest. With a sigh from him, his right arm came down pulling me closer as he skootched down. I fell asleep quickly, his arms holding me securely and warmly.   
I awoke to the sound of quiet muttering, and wheels going across carpet. The light from the open curtains was bright, but was softly dissipated by the privacy curtains. I held my head up, going onto my elbows.   
“Good morning beautiful.” I looked to the small table in the corner of the room and Bucky was there drinking coffee and reading a newspaper. He was clad in his underwear and the hotel robe fully open.  
“Good morning handsome.” I smiled lazily and got up from the bed, shaking sleep from my limbs. I sat in the chair next to him, thankful for the room service he called for. The orange juice was in a wine glass, the hotel’s attempt at being fancy. I didn’t mind though, the sweetness of the juice was delicious. I took my plate and turned to the cart. Filling my plate, I grabbed toast, eggs, bacon, and coffee with milk and sugar. Bucky looked at me, then grabbed his own plate with toast, eggs, bacon, and sausage. I tried my best to be ladylike and take small bites, Bucky also eating politely, the two of us enjoying a silent meal again.   
“Thank you for this, I really appreciate it.”  
“You’re welcome.”   
When the two of us were done, I immediately got to work clearing away the table. He had been nice enough to set it and get the room service, clearing it away was the least I could do. When I bent over to grab Bucky’s plate, my nighty came down and showed him much more of my breasts, and he got a good view of my bent over rump. He put his hand on my backside, in a loving and possessive grip. He wanted more but touching me was good enough for now. Remembering our passions from the night before was getting him hot and bothered. I blushed at his touch and my heart started to beat fast. I finished clearing up and put the cart outside our door for room service to come and get.   
When I closed the door, I turned around and Bucky was standing over me. He crashed his lips down on mine and pushed me up against the wall, grinding our bodies together. We kissed passionately, moaning into each other, leaving hot caresses over each other’s skin.   
*BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP* A phone rang out, interrupting us. I looked up at him, my lips swollen and eyes lustful. He let go of me, cursing himself. It was his phone ringing out. He crossed the room while I stood leaning against the wall watching him. 

“Hello?” He was annoyed by the caller. “Yes, sir. I’ll be there in half an hour.” He pressed end and looked up at me, defeated.   
“Work?”  
“Yeah,” he came over and put his hands on my hips “I need to take a quick shower and head in to work. I’ll be gone for the day so you’ll have to go to the convention without me, but I’ll meet up with you later tonight for dinner.” I shook my head in agreement, and he quickly pecked my lips before getting ready to leave.   
Bucky finished in the shower in record time and changed into a clean pair of slacks, a button up oxford shirt, a matching suit jacket, and tie. His brown dress shoes matched his work suit. He must’ve had someone bring him a suit this morning, I thought to myself. I had changed into a long shirt dress, my second day look for the convention. I was putting my hair up and makeup on while he was dressing. Before he left, he took a good look at me, put his hand on my shoulder, and kissed my cheek. Blushing, I turned my face and kissed him quickly, before turning to the mirror and applying my red lipstick while he left out the door. I wasn’t worried that he would leave and never return. He treated me with so much love, kindness, and consideration, that I trusted him and believe his word.   
Taking a last look at myself, I straightened up before heading over to the convention center. There was a Captain America exhibit that I wanted to see.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to my first commenter: jo.

The Captain America exhibit was on loan from a museum; a small part of a larger collection. The museum to which this was a part of focused on his entire history before he was frozen. Now, this display was set up to show his work as a morale troop. The centerpiece was his classic uniform, not the current Tony Stark-worked suit. However, was interested me was the preservation of the videos, the costumes of the dancers, and the propaganda posters. My mind wandered to how they could have been so blind as to use him as a prop when they had a super soldier on their hands. In the videos I could see that he had the same fake smile and vacant eyes as the women working alongside him. Many men wouldn’t admit it, but he was just like them, used by men in power for nothing more than a smile, a good-looking body, and to keep the troops happy. The tenacity of the women, and Cap himself, was something I admired.

I didn’t know much about Cap’s history, nor about Hydra’s. I knew that Cap was unfrozen and working with the Avengers to stop Hydra and any other force that tried to kill or capture Earth. I felt a ting of sadness looking at the wall sized pictures of Cap and his army friends. A man out of time must be a lonely existence. Sure, the world was much better off now in terms of equality and technology. But, if I had been frozen for many decades and brought back, it might be too much change, too much unknown, and too many people gone with time. Nobody should have to live through that.

As lunch drew nearer, more people began pouring in, and I made my way to the exit. The convention ended today, at 4pm, and I had a late night flight to catch.

*Beepbeepbeep*

“ _Meet me at the café. 1 sharp. -B”_

I glanced at the clock on my phone, 12:45pm. I had 15 minutes to get down to the café for what would probably be a goodbye lunch. The thought of never seeing Bucky again hurt, but it was comforting knowing that we did have feeling for each other. We simply didn’t meet at the right time, living in two different countries and all.

The gentle breeze swept across me, tousled my hair and gave movement to my dress. I could get used to falls like this. I could see Bucky from down the street. He was sat outside facing away from me, sitting at one of the little tables. The deep brown of his suit contrasted his black hair, making it look much darker. I would love to run my hands through his hair again.

My short mary jane heels clacked pleasantly on the pavement, giving me the confidence of a woman with power. It reminded me of a heroine in a movie, walking down a long hallway, the sound of her heels warning those that tried to get in her way. I would need every bit of confidence I could muster. I wanted to enjoy these last moments with him, and not spend the whole time crying because something so new was coming to an end.

I walked through the short white fence that encapsulated the outside portion of the café. As I sat down across from him, Bucky looked up from his phone and smiled brightly at me. He had ordered us drinks, already waiting for me.

“Hi,” I gave him a sad smile and took up the menu.

“You look beautiful.” I blushed at his compliment and hid my cheeks from his field of view. He chuckled as I hid behind the menu. The waitress, an older woman with dark skin and long black twists took our order.

“I’ll have the tomato pesto sandwich, on rye please.”

“That sounds good, I’ll have the same.” As the waitress took our menu’s, I cocked my eyebrow at him. It was a vegetarian sandwich, and every meal that I had with him previously, he had large portions of meat.

“So,” he spoke leaning back against his chair, with one arm flung around the fence, “I’m going to assume that you don’t eat meat. That bacon this morning was you being polite?”

I hung my head slightly ashamed of myself. My mother said I was just being picky and that a good man would want a woman that would cook him roasts and steaks.

“That is correct. But, I’m not snobbish about it, you can eat whatever you want, and I couldn’t care less. It’s more of a personal thing.” He nodded understanding.

“Listen, I’m sorry about earlier. I had some stuff being delivered to my house and I needed to be there.”

I waved him off, “It’s fine. Stuff like that happens.” I fixed myself in the seat getting more comfortable and crossing my legs at the ankle, if there was a time to use my best manners, now would be it. Bucky was the kind of man that I could see myself with for a very long time. If only.

“Why don’t we do rapid fire questions again?” I wanted to hear his voice, as much as possible before I had to leave. He looked at me with a cocky grin and mischief in his eyes.

“When are you leaving?” I sucked in my breath. I didn’t expect him to ask that so soon.

“My bags are packed and waiting at the hotel. My flight leaves at 6pm, although I need to leave by 4 to get there with plenty of time.”

“Hmm.” He seemed to contemplate what I said and scratched the back of his neck.

“How about lighter questions?” I asked, hoping that he would give us some reprieve from sadness.

“I want kids someday, do you?”

“Yes, not sure how many. That would depend on what kind of life I have with my future husband, I guess. If you could pick any era to live in, when would it be?”

“Easy, 1940’s just after the war ended, in America.” We both chuckled at his answer, as the waitress put our plates in front of us and left with a warm smile. We both bit in the mouthwatering sandwiches. It was pleasant to have a connection to somewhere where you could sit down and enjoy each other’s presence without having to say a word.

“What will you do when you go back?” His tone was melancholic, he didn’t want me to leave.

“Go back to working at the fabric shop. Continue looking for a job in my field. Maybe, I’ll give you a call, if you’re lucky.” I gave him a flirtatious wink and he flushed a bright crimson.

“I think I’ll be more than lucky,” he countered. We bantered for an hour, back and forth, talking about our hopes and dreams, likes and dislikes. It was 3:15 by the time we finished up and paid for the meal. Bucky was a gracious and generous man, insisting on paying the bill. We walked down the street, my hand in the crook of his arm. We looked like a couple plucked from the streets of 1945. His arm kept me warm as the air began to cool off slightly. While I couldn’t say that I loved him, I certainly fancied him. Cutting off a new relationship before it could even really begin would always hurt, but I would hold this weekend as one of my most treasured memories. Maybe it would be something like Rose and Jack from Titanic. I would only tell my children when I am very old, and hopefully they would understand. Sometimes you only get a short time with the people that will mean the most in your life.

“Doll,” he stopped me to turn and face him, “I can’t let you go just yet. I have a car, let me drive you to the airport. A cab would cost a fortune.” He looked so lost, and I couldn’t stop myself from reaching up and kissing him bringing his face to mine. After a moment of passionate, desperate kissing, we let go of our lips, and held each other close. A breathy thank you was all I could muster.

Bucky watched me go inside to finish up at the hotel. He then jogged 3 blocks down to where his black 1954 Hudson Hornet was parked. I paid for my room, and the bell hop retrieved my bags for me. Bucky was quick to hop out of the vehicle to help the bell hop load the bags into the trunk. I marveled at how pristine the vehicle looked, the shine and gloss was perfectly clean without a single scratch or dent. Bucky tipped the hop, who happily retreated to the hotel lobby.

“Impressed?” Bucky whispered in my ear as I peered into the vehicle, it’s cream coloured leather interior was luxurious and inviting.

“Yes, very much so.” Ever the gentleman, he took my hand and brought me to the passenger side, opening the door for me. I slid in, my dress gliding over the seat. The car was a dream. Bucky jogged over to the driver’s side and got in, starting up the car and beginning the journey.

“It’s going to be abit of a drive, so there’s some water in the back if you want it.”

“Thank you.” I twisted to look into the back seat and sure enough, Bucky had a few bottles on the floor behind his seat. While the condensation of the bottle was unpleasant, it was nice to have some cool water when sitting next to him made me warm in many ways. The cap came off easily, plastic safety ring and all. I didn’t pay much mind to it, many cheap bottles had that problem. The radio played classic hits in celebration of the convention. It was at a low volume and the hum of the car made for a meditative sound. Bucky expertly weaved in and out of traffic without any sudden starts or stops, quickly leaving the city. The airport was off the highway, about an hour’s drive from the hotel.

Within 15 minutes of leaving, the excitement of the day started taking its toll on my body. Bucky had a hand on my knee, comfortingly, as we drove through the straight stretch of road. I found my head on the windowpane, my eyes looking out at the trees rolling by. Everything combined to create the perfect environment to sleep, and my eyes closed.


	5. Chapter 5

There was a scratch on my arms, something not uncomfortable, but industrial in nature. The sheets. I’m in a bed? I am too tired to bother opening my eyes. Instead, I roll over to my side, tossing whatever is on top of me off my upper body. I am cozy, but they make it slightly too warm, almost like I’ve been in them for too long. I can feel that there is a small light on in the room. It’s strange to be able to sense light without opening my eyes, but it’s something most people experience, so it doesn’t bother me as I breathe deeply, willing myself back to sleep.

* * *

“Sir, I have an update for you.” The doctor looked at the Sargent, gesturing to the file in his hands. Bucky stood up from the hospital chair, while the long-term family room was much nicer than the ordinary waiting room, sitting for so long still brought its aches and pains. He shook out his limbs as he stood, straightening out his slacks and button down. His hair was disheveled, and his sleeves have been rolled up, his eyes held worry and the cafeteria coffee did nothing to dispel the dark circles under his eyes.

“She should be waking up in the next day or two. Her vitals show that she has been coming in and out of consciousness, but we have not observed her ‘waking up’ per se.” Bucky’s shoulders relaxed, his anxiousness melting away. “We also got her medical records, it was abit difficult considering she’s not American, again, so sorry about the delay. But, we found a few things you may need to know about…” The doctor trailed off.

“Nothing too serious in her families medical history; old age related diabetes, a few members are overweight/obese. Nothing out of the ordinary. However, her reproductive history is .. different.” The young man looked up at the older one with a look of confusion. The doctor laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “The women on her mothers side has a history of identical twins, it normally skips a generation, but Holly has it.” Bucky looked at the doctor with delight, standing up straighter with pride in his chest. “Here is the bad news,” Bucky quickly deflated, his emotions barely keeping up with the back and forth of good and bad news. “She has a birth control implant. We need you to sign a consent form to remove it. The procedure is straight forward, we basically go in for a vaginal exam and yank it out, but we still need your permission.” Bucky’s palms were red from the nails digging into his skin.

“Do it.” With a sharp snap, he turned on his heels and left the hospital.

* * *

My eyes were dry, I tried to blink them open while rubbing them. The room wasn’t too bright but it still felt like I was waking up after an all night bender. There was a slight headache, and I felt like a dried out sponge. I need water.

I finally opened my eyes fully, taking in the room around me. There was a small lamp on a dresser in the corner of the room, an older crocheted doily covering the top of it. It made the tan wood dresser seem homier, and the low yellow light of the lamp finished off the cozy feeling. The room was small, off white walls surrounded me. Next to the dresser on the wall to my right was a window, it was open a few inches, letting the cool nighttime breeze into the stuffy room. Much of the room reminded me of my grandmother. The window had split curtains; a top decorative one, and another two that began halfway down the window, meant for privacy, that could be parted to let the light in. The bottom part of the curtain was swaying lightly from the breeze.

The door to the room was in the far corner of the wall to my left, leaving walking room between my bed and the door. As I inspected the left side of the room I noticed pressure on my left middle finger. It was only then that I noticed a heartbeat monitor to my immediate left, with wires running to the sensor on my finger. Realization hit me that I was not where I was supposed to be and the monitor began beeping louder and at a hurried pace. I took the sensor off which caused the sound to disappear, but a small red warning light began blinking, letting the user know that the sensor was gone.

“Shush.. It’s okay.” A comforting voice washed over me, taking my right hand into their calloused ones. Bucky. He was there. Sitting in a brown chair to my immediate right. Why was I here? Where was here?? I missed my flight! Oh my god, what happened to me. Sensing my sudden increase in panic, the bed dipped as Bucky pulled himself onto the bed, and my body into his chest. He held me as I cried and tried to make sense of what was going on.

“It’s okay love. I know it’s scary. You’re in a hospital.” His hands ran down my back, my arms, and through my hair, begging me to breathe at a normal pace, lest I pass out from a panic attack.

“Why am I here?” I managed to blubber out between sobs.

“Sweetheart, we were on the way to the airport, don’t you remember? You passed out. I tried to wake you up, but you didn’t respond. I panicked. The only thing I knew was that you were still breathing, so I took you here. I didn’t know what to do and I was so scared.” He held me tighter, fear dripping in his words at the memory. “You’ve been out cold for two weeks.”

Realization hit me. I was in a foreign country with no health insurance, at a hospital for two weeks. I was going to go bankrupt from the medical bills alone. I probably lost my job, my apartment, my whole life just went up in smoke. I tried my best to tell him this, most of it coming out in garbled sobs.

“I understand.” He continued stroking my hair. “It’s alright. I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to worry about a thing.” His hand brought my chin up so that I could look him in the eyes. Eyes that held so much understanding, compassion, and affection for me. Seeing me like this hurt him. I buried myself into the crook of his neck, holding me tight to his chest. My cries had stopped, but the fear was still coursing through me. So many unanswered questions, and now I had to rely on Bucky, a true gentleman, but practically a stranger nonetheless.

At this point, a doctor and a nurse came in. The doctor was a man probably only ten to fifteen years Bucky’s senior, but the stress caused him to look much older. The nurse began switching out the iv fluids, which was behind the heartbeat monitor, keeping to himself while the doctor talked to me.

“Hello Holly, I’m glad you’re finally awake. You gave us quite the fright.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry to tell you but we have no idea why you were asleep for so long. So far as we are concerned, you are a healthy young woman. All of our tests came back negative. We would like to keep you here for at least another day, to monitor your progress. But, you should be able to take a walk if you like, maybe grab some food down at the cafeteria. As far as recovery goes, I would like you to take it easy for the next month until we are sure this won’t happen again. That means no driving, no working, try and avoid anything too intense or physically exhausting.”

“But, doc, I’m not American. I NEED to go back to my country. I can’t stay here.”

“We’ve taken care of that sweetheart,” he said the words much like a father reassuring their child. “Bucky and the staff have arraigned for your visa to be extended due to ‘medical reasons’ on the condition that he sponsor you. He has offered to take care of you will you recover and you don’t need to worry about a hospital bill.” Okay, that was a weight off my chest, but I still felt like I was a burden. Bucky was being so kind and generous, he barely knows me and yet he was willing to give up so much for me. He truly was a selfless gentleman and I thanked God that I met him.

The doctor gave Bucky a knowing smile and directed his attention back to me. “We have a program here where we have some basic clothing options. Not quite a hospital gown, but it’s perfect if you didn’t happen to bring anything suitable with you. I can have one of the laundry attendants bring something up. They also took the liberty of washing the clothing that you did bring with you.”

“Thank you,” was all I managed to squeak out before my stomach began to rumble loudly. Bucky let out a hardy laugh, “I think some’s hungry!” He teased.

“Well, I’ll get on my way and leave you two to get ready.” With that, the doctor ducked out of the room before I could give him my thanks. I watched quietly as Bucky got up and walked over to the dresser, pulling out some undergarments and toiletries for me, setting them on the dresser.

“That’s the door to the restroom doll. I’m going to go see what we need to get you some grub.” He smiled gently at me, giving me a moment to gather myself and leaving through the room door. The bathroom door was much smaller, more like a hollow wooden door you would see inside someone’s house, rather than the larger, heavier door that led to the rest of the hospital. I took my toiletries and undergarments before venturing inside. The bathroom was basic. The tiled floor was an industrial grey. The toilet and sink were both porcelain, and the sink had to cabinet, only two metal polls in the front holding it up. There was a small mirror set into the wall, made so that it couldn’t be ripped off or broken. There was a small shower at the end of the bathroom, which was almost built like a hallway. I took my comb and did my best to take out the knots before I stepped into the warm shower. Thankfully, there were shower essentials in it. A shampoo dispenser attached to the wall, and a small wrapped bar of soap sat on top of it, a soap tray built into it. Everything was unscented, but I still reveled in the feeling of the warm water on my stiff muscles and joints. The soap and shampoo worked into my body and hair, getting the fine layer of dirt off. It felt as though I had taken off a whole layer of skin from the scrubbing, in the best way possible.

I grabbed a towel that was on a high up rack just outside the shower and dried myself off. Someone must have entered while I was in the shower, because there was a loose dress sitting on the edge of the sink. Continuing my clean up; I brushed my teeth, recoiling at the dry mouth breath, and straightened up my outfit. I had on plain underwear and a similar plain bra. The dress was a wrap dress made of regular cotton. It was a light green with a long tie on the side, meant to fit nearly any woman’s body size. It also made it easier for the staff to change me, should anything happen.

Stepping out of the bathroom, Bucky greeted me, smiling and standing up to hug me.

“You look beautiful doll.” He kissed my forehead as his arms enveloped my waist. “Thank you, but I must look like death warmed over.” We both chuckled and he took my hand. Leading me out of the room he gestured to the wheelchair that was parked just outside the door, in the hallway. “Sorry sweetheart, but the nurse said they didn’t want you walking too much.” I nodded, and sat myself in the chair. I didn’t have any slippers so my feet were clad only in short ankle socks. The foot holds of the chair dug into my feet ever so slightly, but it wasn’t anything worth mentioning. In fact, I had pain in other places that was much worse. My left arm was still sore from when the nurse took out my iv line, and my core was cramping terribly. I took it as nothing more than digestion issues, or perhaps an oncoming period. With my implant, I no longer had the bleeding on my period, but I still experienced cramps and bloating, and a few other hormonal issues.

Bucky, ever the gentleman, pushed me through the winding hallways and down elevators. The hospital walls were a light shade of yellow, the tile a white-grey colour. Everything looked old, but in good condition. We passed by nursing stations, and other patients out for a stroll. It only took a few minutes to reach the cafeteria, yet it felt like a million hours with how empty my stomach felt.

“You can get whatever you want, doll. Don’t worry about it, I got it.” He put a reassuring hand on my shoulder as we stopped at the beginning of the line up. There wasn’t anyone else waiting since it was 11pm according to the clock on the wall behind the counter. I stood up from the chair as Bucky rolled it over to a table. I picked up a tray for myself and handed him on after he strode over. I inspected the inside of the glass, looking at the various prepacked foods. I picked up a protein snack cup; filled with grapes, little cheese cubes, and a hard boiled egg. I also grabbed a juice from the drink fridge and made my way over to a small serve-yourself station. There were hotdogs on a rolling tray, like in a gas station, with a condiments section next to it. Beside that was two cauldrons of soup, one beef and barley, the other potatoe. I took a large bowl and gave myself plenty of potatoe soup, it was a comforting favourite from my childhood. I also took a plastic roll, a few butter packets, and a wrapped spoon. Making my way a few steps forward to the cash register, I saw that Bucky had taken a ham sandwich, some soup, and a coffee for himself.

“Here ya go,” He handed the cashier thirty dollars, putting the change into her tip jar.

“Thank you for this Bucky.” We both turned and sat down at our table. He simply smiled in reply, “It’s nothing sweetheart, really. I’m just glad you’re okay.” With that, I nodded and we quietly ate out food. The atmosphere was comfortable, as much as it could be anyways. The chairs were hard, and all one piece with the table, so they couldn’t move. The only sounds were the radio in some distant corner playing classical music, and the turning of the pages of the cashiers book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that has given kudos and commented on this story! Feedback is always appreciated. :)


	6. Chapter 6

I sat up against the pillows in my hospital bed. Bucky has gone home for the evening. Did he mean his home or a hotel? I thought we were still in New York. Isn’t that what he said? He was on his way to the airport and when I didn’t wake up he took me to the nearest hospital. I picked up my phone, it was plugged in to the outlet and laying on the bedside table. Although it turned on, there was no wifi signal, no reception. It was odd. I understand not being able to get service in the middle of the building, but my room window clearly had a view outside.

I was angry. It didn’t take over my body, or course through my veins. It was the kind of angry where I was disappointed that I couldn’t call my family, worried about the responsibilities that were abandoned in my absence, and slightly unnerved by Bucky. I felt all the gratitude in the world for how he was helping me, yet, we barely knew each other and he was willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on my medical bills, willing to sponsor my visa extension, and help me with my recovery. My mother would scold me for doubting him, even so I wondered what he was thinking, what his intensions were. What would motivate him to give over so much money? It was more than I would make in 4 months at my job. I chastised myself at the thought, as mother would say: “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

I rifled through the newspaper that was splayed out across my lap. After Bucky left, I walked across the hallway to a seating area and grabbed it. I spent so much time sleeping that I couldn’t will myself to sleep anymore. The front page looked fairly normal. The name, date, and volume across the top in bold letters; The Weekly Tartan. Odd name for a newspaper. It had mostly local stories; the mayor announcing more funding for the new pediatrics unit in the hospital, a spotlight on a local business (this week was the a homey diner and the family that ran it), and the local high school won an away baseball game. It didn’t have any national news, and very few things state-side either. Maybe they had this newspaper specifically for local events and relied on a bigger journalism company for national news?

After I was done skimming the ads on the last page, I checked my phone once more. Five am it read. I placed the folded newspaper next to my phone on the side table and sighed. The doctor said I could leave today, and Bucky said he would take me out for “a real breakfast” once I was discharged. Seeing as I had nothing better to do, I made my way over to the dresser. My luggage had been unpacked into it by someone else. I grabbed the most comfortable attire I had, a pair of black leggings, a loose white tank top, and a black zip up hoodie. It was what I wore on the plane heading to New York, and I was grateful that I had something casual. I opened the bottom curtains of the window to let the morning light in. Seeing the black of night slowly turn to navy, and then a light blue, gave me a cozy feeling of relief. No matter what happened, the sky would always be the same.

I was dressed and ready for the day. My hands had twisted my hair into French rolls encircling my head. It didn’t take long for me to retrieve all of my belongings and place them onto the neatly made bed. I would be ready to leave here as soon as possible.

_

The nurse was a kind, young woman, a nursing student. She explained to me the kinds of exercises and activities I could do, and how to increase them at an appropriate level. Bucky was standing up at the reception desk booking in my follow up appointments. He would look back at me periodically, over his shoulder, giving me a warm smile when he caught my glance. With the pamphlets in hand, she was kind enough to push me over to Bucky.

“Thank you ma’am,” he took over from the nurse and put himself behind me, guiding the chair down to the parking lot. The nurse followed a few steps behind, ready to retrieve the wheelchair after I was situated in the vehicle. Bucky had already put my belongings in the trunk earlier, so there was no fussing when I stood from the chair and entered the passenger side. He quickly gave the chair back to the nurse and gave his thanks once again.

It was a beautiful day. The sky was a bright, light blue. The air was crisp, and smelled of falling leaves and pine. There were few vehicles in the parking lot, but they all looked earily similar. Most in a vintage style. Even the cars we passed on the roads were all old fashioned. We passed by quiet neighbourhoods. Ones with traditional houses in plain but cheerful colours. The town was well kept, certainly the recipient of many tidy town awards, as there wasn’t an unmowed lawn in sight. Plenty of tall trees grew on front and back yards. The street was sprinkled with freshly fallen leaves, creating oceanic waves of reds, oranges, and yellows.

Bucky was contently quiet, driving through the streets with the upmost relaxation. He had a hand on my left knee and used his left to steer. It was about 10am on a Tuesday, and there weren’t many people out and about. As we rolled to a stop sign, a lady no more than 35 crossed the street in front of us. Bucky gave her a polite nod as she waved her thanks to him. She had a long tent like coat on, only stopping midway down her calves. I could not see her shoes, but I did see the swish of her dress under the unbuttoned bottom of her coat. She was lovely, her hair in loose curls and effortless natural makeup on her face. Her hat matched her coat and her wrist length white gloves finished off the ensemble. She was pushing a small trolley. I had seen something like it before, many older women used them when taking their groceries on the bus. It had two wheels and a white metal cage that could fit enough food for two people for a week. I was pushed out of my reverie as Bucky began rolling forward cautiously and continued down the winding roads.

We stopped in front of a diner. Milhouse Dinner was written in big bold red letters across the front. There were red and white umbrella style awnings on the windows. There weren’t any cars in the lot besides Bucky’s. Ever the gentleman, he turned off the engine and strode to my side of the car, offering me his hand as he opened up my door for me.

“Well, here it is doll. The best breakfast you’ll ever have,” he said with conviction and pride in him.

“Are you sure about that?” I gave a cheeky grin. He chuckled at the playful answer as we made our way to through the glass door. A bell chimed alerting the waitress to us. She wore a pink dress with a white apron.

“Sit wherever you like and I’ll be over in a moment darling.” She turned around from behind the counter and into the kitchen through a swinging door. Bucky gestured to a corner booth and I followed, our hands intertwined. The booth had smooth green vinyl chairs and a chrome table top. The roundness of the table allowed us to sit opposed from each other while still getting a look at the rest of the dinner. There were a few others sitting, talking, or listening to the radio. The front counter had stools made with the same green vinyl as the booths. There was a gentlemen sat at the opposite end drinking a coffee, he wore an ill-fitting navy suit, his top few shirt buttons were undone and his tie hung loose around his neck. He looked disheveled, but not too out of the ordinary. A few booths away were two police officers in uniform, the one facing me had short blond hair and a thick mustache, the one back on had equally short brown hair. They engaged in quiet chatter, eating an early lunch.

Bucky took my hand across the table and started rubing his thumb across the back of my knuckles.

“So, how did you hear about this place?”

“Oh,” he chuckled, “I come here all the time. It’s one of my favourites. Julie over there,” he nodded towards the waitress that had stopped to refill the officer’s coffee, “always gives me a little extra and I make sure I leave a good tip.” Julie walked over to us just as he finished.

“Would either of you like any coffee, or anything else to drink?”

“Coffee for the both of us please, best if you bring out the milk and sugar too. Thank you,” Bucky said. She turned over our mugs and poured both, giving me room for my milk.

“In all my years of knowing Mr. Barnes here he has always had his coffee black. Did you want milk, cream, half and half?” She turned to me.

“I’ll have half and half, please and thank you.”

“Not a problem miss. Here are your menu’s and I’ll be back with your fixing’s in just a moment.” Julie was an older lady, probably sixty-five. She seemed very sweet in our brief interaction. Bucky took a swig of the fresh coffee, before glancing at his menu place on the table beside him. I looked at the paper menu, it was one long page, double sided, and laminated. All of it was classic diner fare with all meal options listed on it. Most of the options had meat on the platters.

“I think I know what I want, do you have a favourite you always get?”

“I get the bacon-lovers platter. It’s two slices of toast, two eggs any style, but Julie knows I like them sunnyside up, some hashbrowns, and 6 pieces of bacon. Although,” he smirked, “I doubt that’s what you’ll be getting.”

Julie came back quickly with the coffee fixing’s and set them down in front of me with an extra spoon.

“So, Mr. Barnes, will it be the usual today? Did you want any jam on your toast?”

“Yes, and just stick some orange marmalade on it if you don’t mind.”

“And for you, miss?”

“I’ll have the veggie and cheese omelet platter please, but could you put the bacon on his plate instead of mine?”

“Sure sweetie.” She took the menu’s from us and turned to Bucky. “Seems like a girl after your own heart, giving you her bacon. Someday you’re going to leave here with a curly tail!” She lightly patted his shoulder and laughed with him, much like a mother would with their child.

Bucky has been rather quiet ever since I woke up at the hospital. Maybe he was feeling just as tired as I was. In any case, I wasn’t in the mood for much chatter. This whole situation felt more like a fever dream than reality. The walls were covered in old tin advertisements, and framed pictures of guests and servers of the diner. The photos were all black and white, and used grainy film.

“This place is lovely, Bucky. It’s almost like it was plucked from the past and dropped into 2020.” I kept my gaze away from him, looking around at the lack of modern technology in the space.

The air in the diner shifted. It became tense and thick. The patrons behaviours didn’t change, but their voices became much softer. The music playing from some invisible device in a far off corner seemed to quiet itself as well.

“Well darling,” he held my hand a little tighter, “We love things just the way they are here. Why change it if this is how we like it?”

“That makes sense I suppose.” I flushed at this words. Was I scared, or embarrassed? I had no idea. It was then that Julie, bless her heart, came out of the swing door with our orders and set them down in front of us. We started eating and the diner shifted back to how it had been before. How strange…

-

We rolled through the neighbourhood. At this point ever street looked the same. There were maybe ten different house structures, and then each had their own colours. But, it still blurred together. Bucky stopped in the driveway of a house at the end of the road. The lot to this house looked to be about twice the size of the rest, with the house squarely in the center. It wasn’t garishly large, however, one could easily see that this was the wealthiest household in the cul-de-sac. Most of the other houses were in the ranch style with a single floor and an attic, but this one had two full floors.

I exited the car, and stood leaning on the door, admiring the pristine structure. I hope this is just a rental that Bucky found. Wasn’t his home far from New York? I heard the pop of the trunk, Bucky was grabbing bags out of it. There was the hard tap of the plastic wheels on the pavement, and the rustle of a paper bag.

“Here,” I walked the few paces between us, “let me grab something.”

“My mother would scold me if I let a lady carry her own bags, but here, can you grab that bag?” He nodded towards the brown bag set on the ground. Bucky had my two bags, one under each arm. Bending down, I noticed the bag had a few groceries inside, some fresh fruit and vegetables. When did he get the time to pick these up?

There was a smooth stone walkway from the driveway to the front porch. The entrance reminded me of an old style farm house; it had an overhanging roof with a deck going across from the right side and ending just before the garage entrance. It was mostly bare, different from others that I’ve seen. There was room for a seating area, and the beginnings of a flower bed under the railings. Does anyone live here?

Bucky set down the bags just in front of the door, a large white thing with a panel of frosted windows along both sides. He took a second to go through his pockets, first his sport jacket, then his slacks, before finding the solitary key, and unlocking the house.

The house itself was large and simple, the lack of furnishings made it appear even larger. Yet, it made the white walls seem much more cold and unfeeling.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you take your jacket off while I go put these upstairs. The kitchen is down the hall and to your right.” Bucky gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the house. I opened the door to my right, finding a small closet. It was completely empty. There weren’t any jackets, shoes, or even hats stuff onto the top shelf. There wasn’t even a hanger. Odd.

With a sigh, and a lot of confusion, I slung my jacket over my arm and picked up the bag once more before heading into the kitchen. My heart sank as I rounded the corner. It was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. But, much like everything else has been, it was as though I stepped into a time machine. The walls were white like the rest of the house, the cabinets were all a medium brown wood grain. They wrapped around into a c-shape, starting to my right after the fridge, and ending in an island in the far-left side. The refrigerator was a bulky white thing that must have been a vintage recreation. How else could it have survived this long?

There was a white oven next to the fridge, with a small cabinet between the two. The usual place for cookie sheets and the like. On the countertop, there weren’t any appliances, nor any kick knacks. This place was truly bare.

Shacking all the pain, and worry from my body, I laid the bag down beside the double basin sink, before passing the island and laying down my jacket over the back of the kitchen chair. It was a quaint breakfast nook with a large window facing the side yard. The sink also had a large window, one that I was grateful for when I washed the produce. The cupboards to the left of the sink had a small set of dishes; two of everything. Two mugs, two plates, two glasses, two bowls, two of every utensil, and that was it. Those were the only things in the entire cabinetry. I started to panic. My fingers trembled as I put the produce in the appropriate places, either the crisper tray in the fridge, or on the counter.

My breathing became erratic. I was trying everything I could do to regulate it. But, trying so hard made it all the more apparent that I had no control. I sat on the chair in the breakfast nook and willed myself to stop crying. My hands dug into my hair, my nails scraping my scalp. Maybe if I can focus on something else, like the pain, then I can stop. I felt the spiral. I was in the middle of it and there was no stopping it. All my willpower was telling my body to cooperate, and the hopelessness of my future, and my present came over me in crashing waves. Each breath came out as a renewed sob.

“Holly,” I felt his arms wrap around my midsection. His voice was soothing, yet, his hands made my skin burn. Being touched felt wrong. He pressed my body into his chest, sliding me over onto his lap. All my energy was put into breathing, and I couldn’t find the strength to fight him. So, defeated by my emotions and the uncertainty of my life, I let him comfort me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading! If you guys have any suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment. :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! A shorter chapter for today. I promise that i'm working on the next one. I love it when you guys comment, it lets me know if you're on the right track/have any guesses to what's going to happen. I love hearing theories/predictions! As always, I appreciate all of you.

He held me until my lungs burned and water in my throat was like holy water to a vampire. His shirt scratched at my cheek, stained with my tears, creating a sticky wet sandpaper. The sun was starting to set when my eyes could open. The windows let through a warm glow. At any other moment it would be beautiful. Now, it felt like I was in the fires of Notre Dame.   
Bucky gave me reassuring kissed on my temples and forehead. I didn’t have the strength to fight his touch, whether it was because it was the only source of comfort or exhaustion, I did not know. I climbed off his lap, slowly, and on achy limbs and sat on my own chair. I turned my face towards the heat of the sun, willing it to dry my face. My sense were dimmed, as though the volume had been turned down on my body. I didn’t realize that Bucky had left, or changed when he set a tall glass of water down in front of me.   
“Darling, I know things have been hard. Not knowing about your health is terrifying for me, so I can’t imagine what you’re going through. And crying is good, don’t get me wrong love. But, I think now you’ve got it all out of your system. So, we should get something for dinner. I don’t mind calling for take out if that’s what you prefer.” He slid back into his chair, taking my hand in his as my eyes snapped to attention.   
“Yes,” my voice croaked and I had to repeat myself, “yes, that’s fine.” I wiped my face with my sleeve and put on my best mask. A toothy smile and a squeeze of our hands was all he needed to go back to being happy go Bucky once more. His sleeves had been unbuttoned and rolled up, it was a flannel that looked old and used. There was a dark stain on the shoulder, and a quick hug before he stood up confirmed that this was his “do all shirt”. The dark spot smelled of chemicals, probably from working on his car. He said on our first date that he liked to do any handywork himself. Anything he couldn’t do already, he would learn to do. I think that’s why I felt so sure and safe in his arms. Even if my confusion and fear was partially because of him. My trust in him overrode any anxiety I felt. 

I generally stayed wherever I happened to be that night. I had control over myself, that much was certain. The tips of my fingers and toes felt as though someone sewed weights into them to keep me steady, as if my emotions where enough to tip me over in the wind. Bucky only left me sitting there for a moment while we went into another room to use the telephone. My mind was at full alert, however, my body was apathetic to what was going on around me. I expected him to just use his cellphone, the one that I saw him use at the hotel. Harsh gliding of metal and plastic pieces startled me. Next, came the unmistakable clink of the talk piece being lifted off the receiver. A rotary phone. He’s using a rotary phone.   
A landline wasn’t unfamiliar to me. I grew up using one, and my parents still have one hooked up in the basement, should a power outage happen in their small town. However, this felt wrong. Why didn’t he just use a normal phone? And why id this house practically empty? Why are we even in this house? Why does my life suddenly depend on a man that I barely know?  
This town filled me with unease. The cheerfulness of the people, and the time warp culture was refreshing and terrifying. I was a fish in my dream aquarium, and yet I was still a fish, and this was still on an aquarium. I had no money, and nothing to go home to. I had to start my life from scratch again, and Bucky was here to help me through it.   
The sink was running cool water. An even flow. My fingers broke the long lines a few times, checking its suitability. There was a hand towel hooked over the oven handle. Soaking a corner, I dabbed it under my eyes, my cheeks, and my forehead. The skin was hot and puffy, full of blood from the rush of crying. Bucky was right. I had my cry, and now I needed to focus on picking up the pieces. The first step was already done; I had my next appointment already set. If they couldn’t figure out what it was, at least I could focus on my recovery and get back to some sort of normalcy. Was this my new normal? This town certainly isn’t normal. Yet, I had longed to step into the past for so long. Is this the perfect opportunity to sweep away the hurt in my previous life, and cultivate one here?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super smut, super explicit. SMUT SMUT SMUT, if you don't like it, this chapter can just be glossed over.

I felt exhausted after the long day, the emotional turmoil causing physical ache. Ever the gentlemen, Bucky could see the sleep in my eyes and suggested we retire for the night. We had already slept together, so it didn’t seem odd that we would share a bed. He led me up the stairs, looking over his shoulder periodically. I smirked thinking that he reminded me of the Phantom leading Christine into his lair.   
The room itself was a modestly-large size, but the space was maximized, all the furniture in the best spots to make use of the space. A large four post bed was pushed against the same wall as the door, of which the hallway was on the opposite side.   
“You have a preference for soft things, don’t you Buck?” I hopped up onto the fluffy bed, sinking into the down comforter. It felt much like the beds in a high price hotel where you experience the deepest sleep of your life.   
“Always,” he gave me a cocky side smile, unbuttoning his shirt and giving me a small show of it. Smiling brightly, I shimmied out of my clothes, tossing them on the floor. His eyes held such a ferocious light, sexual energy came coursing through my veins. I could do this. I could abandon all real thought and live in this moment. He made it easier to be in the moment.   
His jaw clenched and nostrils flared, like a jealous man about to take out all of his frustrations. Grabbing onto my feet he dragged me to the side of the bed, his legs in between my own. His hands wandered from my calves, to my thighs, to my hips. Slowly. Hungrily.   
“Buck,” his hands were resting on my hips, holding me in place. My heart was racing from the contact and the excitement of a new relationship. Smiling, he leaned down to give me a chaste kiss, before growling when my hands tangled into his hair. I lifted my hips to grind lightly on his, his arousal very much present. My hands wandered down his chest, grazing with intention. Enough to get him going, but not enough to scratch him. The short stubble on his face only enhanced the tingles running down my body as he nibbled down to my neck. With that, all of my inhibitions were gone. He knew how to fuck, or at least how to fuck me. His lips knew just how to suck and nip to get my heat to pool in between my legs.   
“Bucky,” I moaned, trying to get out a single coherent thought. “Please, I need you.” WIth a pop, his kips left my body, his hands stopped their roaming, and he stood completely pleased with himself. It took him no time to get out of his pants and underthings, letting his cock spring out proudly.   
“Fuck Doll. You are so gorgeous.” He took in my scantily clad body laid out before him.   
“Take me.” I quickly unclasped my bra, needing to feel him, needing to feel something real and good. His hands ripped the panties down my legs. Our clothes splayed across the room. He gripped his cock and gave it a few pumps, spreading his precum across it. The rough calluses on his hands felt positively animalistic when he took my thighs and brought my ass closer to the edge of the bed. Bucky was going to pound the fuck out of me and that is exactly what I wanted. My legs were being held up and spread somewhat by his upperbody. However, his wonderful hand was holding on leg open, while the other held his cock, slowly teasing the head of it onto my clit, spreading my wetness up and down my cunt. After some begging looks, he thrust into me halfway. A gasp left my lips as he pushed and stretched me wonderfully. His back straightened out and held my knees while he slowly pumped further into me, coating his cock in my juices. I couldn’t reach his chest, so I did the only thing I could and put my hands behind my head and held onto the sheets. His eyes were glazed over with purpose.   
He fucked me roughly. I wanted it, needed it, begged for him. Harder, faster. More. Deeper. His cock rubbed against all the most delicious places inside me. Building me up in anticipation. The sounds coming from my slick and his dick pumping inside me were sinful. The sound of his balls slapping against my ass became a rhythm of build up. Waiting for the bass to drop, and for him to unfurl inside me. My back arched against the bed, my clit needing the tiniest bit of friction to bring me over the edge. We were both going to finish soon. He moved so that his hands could hold onto my upper hips while he bent over me to plunge deep into my depths. The top of his cock grazing against my cervix. My moans turned into screams as my body came, my juices gushing around him, milking him.   
“Oh God babe.” That was it for Bucky. He came hard into my depths. Making small movements so that he kept his seed and his dick firmly planted inside me. Collapsing onto me, I held him close as we kissed each other passionately. It was full of love for each other. He took a few minutes to enjoy being seated inside me before lifting himself up and out.   
“Stay right there Doll. I’ll be back.” His sweet ass turned around and disappeared behind another door in the room, presumably a master bathroom. He quickly returned, having cleaned up himself, and having brought a cloth for me, to clean the excess. Bucky’s hands made quick work of it, although, I could feel him staring at my cunt intently. He must enjoy seeing himself spill out of me.   
I scooted back when he tossed the washcloth into the laundry hamper in the corner of the room, a wet spot having formed underneath where we had joined. Bucky walked over and slid into the bed, opening up the covers in a silent gesture for me to join him. It was now that I was completely exhausted. The orgasm still running through my brain kept all of my anxieties and thoughts at bay as I cuddled into Bucky’s delightfully hairy chest. We both fell asleep like that, Bucky propped up slightly from the pillows underneath him, and his arm draped around me as I listened to his heartbeat.


End file.
